"I have said before and I will repeat again, I think people's families are off limits," Obama declared after attending a Labor Day picnic here. "People's children are especially off limits. This shouldn't be part of our politics. It has no relevance to Gov. Palin's performance as a governor or her potential performance as a vice president. So I would strongly urge people to back off these kinds of stories."

He continued, "You know, my mother had me when she was 18. How family deals with issues and teenage children, that shouldn't be the topic of our politics. I hope that anybody who's supported me understands that's off limits."

The Democratic nominee grew heated when a reporter asked him about an unattributed quote from a John McCain aide that linked his campaign to Palin pregnancy rumors that have swirled on gossip and liberal blogs in recent days. The McCain campaign offered no evidence for the charge, and to the contrary, as the chatter percolated over the weekend, most Obama aides seemed reluctant to even acknowledge it, much less fan the flames. The Illinois senator has been on the receiving end of numerous baseless allegations and whisper campaigns, including that he is a Muslim and is hostile to Israel.

"I am offended by that statement," Obama shot back, in response to the McCain aide's charge. "There is no evidence at all that any of this involved us. I'm hope I'm as clear as I can be. In case I'm not, let me repeat: We don't go after people's families. We don't get them involved in politics. It's not appropriate and it's not relevant. Our people were not involved in any way in this and they will not be. If I ever thought that it was somebody in my campaign who's involved in something like that, they'd be fired."

In the hills and hollows, up crick and down dale
Throwback revenants gnash teeth and send up a hail
The hicks from the sticks each one and each pair of
with a frenzied howl cry out for darlin’ Ms. Sarah
With a beating of drums and a blare of brass horns
The hillbillies and trailer trash are wailin’ for Palin!

Mike Hunt Izwet: just had to tell you that 'pulling out' is not a reliable form of avoiding pregnancy either - in fact I would warrant there are quite a number of pregnancies attributed to the false notion that 'pulling out' will protect from pregnancy. Pre-seminal fluid contains many sperm and is quite enough to do the impregnation job.

What kind of role model would Sarah Palin make? She made the choice to have five children, one of which is four months old!! Yet she is putting ambition in front of her family, which is nothing I would want for myself or my children. (I write this as a working mother who has found a way to balance family & ambition, but always put family first).

What kind of role model would Sarah Palin make? She made the choice to have five children, one of which is four months old!! Yet she is putting ambition in front of her family, which is nothing I would want for myself or my children. (I write this as a working mother who has found a way to balance family & ambition, but always put family first).

O'Bama does not speak for my family values ... Sarah Palin's FIRST RESPONSIBILITY is to her down syndrome child and her 17 year old unmarried pregnant daughter. The down syndrome child will need special care and from a mother and father; the daughter will need reaasurance (not just freedom and money) that her overly ambitious mother will not continue to forsake her and her younger sibblings as she pursues her power trips first with senator Ted Stevens; mayors and now as Governor of Alaska.

I am not sure why others are not seeing this for what it is. DAMN THE CHILDREN ... I want to represent women that the whining Hillary could not do!!

It's not that this is about Sarah Palin's pregnant, unmarried, teenage daughter, it is about the fact that Sarah Palin is a hypocrite preaching abstinence and like so many phony Republicans like her, morality. They look down on the rest of us like they are better than everyone and above us. Sarah Palin has been a Governor of a state in the middle of nowhere, literally, for 2 short years, She has already proven she is a serious hypocrite that believes global warming is a farce, while she votes against bills aimed at protecting the polar bear now in danger of extinction. Polar bears starving to death to Palin is a good thing so she has more wolves and baby seals to shoot and kill from her airplane. This woman would be one heartbeat away from the Presidency, with zero experience in foreign affairs, terrorism and Iraq, zero experience on the economy, zero experience for literally every last issue America is faced with in these impossible times Bush has created for us all. The Republicans made this mess we are in and this is who they offer up as a solution? absolutely pitiful, NEXT. Obama / Biden all the way!

The respect McCain has shown Obama and now Obama is showing Palin is extraordinary. I hope itt points towards a brighter, more diverse future for the US and, eventually, for the Western world. Do you think a black President or female VP could enfranchise others in the States and across the globe? I'd love to know your thoughts on the FreshMinds Talent Blog: http://blogs.freshminds.co.uk/talent/?p=385

Obama showed class for his comment. It realy is nobodies business. So what is all the hoopla about? I don't understand some of you, Billy Boy is allowed to let WET WILLY out to play,and that is perfectly o.k.!!!!!!!!!! It's time to but out!!!! Some of you are making America sound like baby haters!!!! In this country we have the right of choice.

Obama showed class for his comment. It realy is nobodies business. So what is all the hoopla about? I don't understand some of you, Billy Boy is allowed to let WET WILLY out to play,and that is perfectly o.k.!!!!!!!!!! It's time to but out!!!! Some of you are making America sound like baby haters!!!! In this country we have the right of choice.

The right wing has made an artform out of doing something illegal, unethical or immoral and then accusing liberals of doing exactly what they just did themselves.

Many of the Obama haters here like making wild claims and smearing a good man while offering no real proof of their allegations and more importantly, not offering any new ideas. They are in power and will make a deal (another one) with the devil to stay there.

The slimy democrats are digging their own graves with these slanderous statements about Palin and her daughter. Anyone who isn't brainwashed by the media lovefest for Rockstar Obama knows that it his his camp and pry himself (or his racist wife) that is planting the seeds of hate and smear against the daughter.

it is just too bad that oback can't or won't answer to any of these questions about his associations w/ayers ,wright flager and the rest if he does'nt have a teleprompter or speech writer around he is lost. i would commend him on not using Palins daughter as a tool in his campain i am waiting for debates. he suggests inexperience on Palins career. she has more than barack and only going for v.p. he wants to be president with a community organizer background. god help us if he wins.socialism, marxism, radicalism is that what we want I SAY NO

Sen - those Palin rumours were not mainstream - it was for Palin to decide if she wanted to bring it mainstream by making a statement about it, which she did. If Obama had brought it mainstream, when it is none of his business, you guys would have ripped his head off - so please, that is a pretty weak catch 22 you are playing there.

Liberals should stop bullying this girl because we loathe her mother. It isn't right and it isn't helpful to the cause.

Conservatives should be upset that Governor Palin found it necessary to silence bloggers by intruding on her daughter's privacy.

Stop bullying a 17 year old who's trying to live decently in this world. It's not her fault that she has the mother she has, and it's none of our business to beat up on the daughter or to lionize the mother to serve political ends.

"Wow, this puts headlights on the fact that Obama supporters are a bunch of sexist thugs. Be careful; you are alienating women who weren't inclined to support a socially conservative ticket by picking on Sarah Palin and her career/life choices. How stupid is that?

Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 8:21 PM "

It happens to me again and again: when I try to get so more in-depth opinions based in LOGICAL and CRITICAL thinking that I run into rubbish like that.

The worst part is WAPO allows this to continue unabated and perhaps adds to it in some way.

Just like the tv networks fight for more viewers --for maximum advertising dollars-- no matter what they have to shove to their faces; there is probably a counter somewhere counting how many readers wander in these comment boards looking for some sense and end falling into an abyss of confusion, discord and hate. The higher the number, the more money per add on these pages. Look to the right ==>

Wapo has to do what it does of course, to survive. Does it do any harm? Who knows?

BTW, the was someone earlier saying there were 3 murdered gay guys who were part of Obama's church - I would assume one of the people they are referring to is someone who actually died from AIDS, not murdered.

Sorry for typo!! Anyway, here is the corrected version of my piece:
I could not understand how senator Obama is responsible for Rep VP's daughter's pregnancy? Just have a look at the story from VOA news:
“Senior officials from the campaign of Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain say he and his top aides were aware of Bristol's pregnancy before selecting Palin as his running mate.
Democratic Party presidential nominee Barack Obama urged reporters to back away from the story. Obama said people's families, and especially their children, are off limits. Obama said he would fire any campaign staffer if he thought they were spreading the story.
The Palins have asked the media to respect the young couple's privacy."
Source: http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-09-01-voa54.cfm
Do still Repubs say they did not know of this pregnancy issue before? What will happen, God forbid, she is forced to be president of the US? Can she can run this giant country as the president of the US and C-in-C as well as with five kids and a pregnant daughter?

Answer, Repubs know but they will NOT admit.

Beauty queen+moose hunter+lightweight+wannabe granny= [is equal to??] wanna be VP of the US who [US] has to get rid of the mess, at a very critical juncture of history, created by W....ha ha ha…if McBush is W3…she will be W4… what a joke...hey folk!!!

As this was just an "internet rumor" that was supposed to be false, why did the McCain campaign have to spill the beans on the 17 year old girl? Aren't you supposed to ignore phoney stories, not humiliate a minor?

This kind of vetting is what we can expect with a President McCain and his appointments. Grab whoever fits the bill if it will win you a news cycle.

I could not understand how senator Obama is responsible for Rep VP's daughter's pregnancy. Justs have a look at this story from VOA news)

" Senior officials from the campaign of Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain say he and his top aides were aware of Bristol's pregnancy before selecting Palin as his running mate.

Democratic Party presidential nominee Barack Obama urged reporters to back away from the story. Obama said people's families, and especially their children, are off limits. Obama said he would fire any campaign staffer if he thought they were spreading the story.

The Palins have asked the media to respect the young couple's privacy."

Do still Repubs say they did not know of this pregnancy issue before? What will happens she is forced to be president of the US; will she can run this country with as a C-in-C with five kids and a pregnant daughter?
Answers, Repubs know but they will NOT admit.
Beauty queen+moose hunter+lightweight+wannabe granny= wanna be VP of the US who has to get rid of the mess created by W....ha ha ha what a joke...hey folk!!!

i am ashamed to say that until i found this site it never occured to me that the reprehensible republicans were packing these sites with lies. but that larry sinclair guy just keeps posting the same lie over and over. unfortunately americans are living off sound bites and fixed noise (fox news), very rarely taking the time to investigate. i have a right wing fanatical christian fixed noise friend who still insists that obama is a muslim. sadly i have come to realize that these people are happy with the war, high unemployment, foreclosures, possibility of war with iran and russia. they sharpen their teeth on lies, sexual scandals and feeding their rich fat faces at the expense of the rest of us. abstinence and forced to term pregnancies should be for the republicans of this country and not forced on the rest of us middle income right thinking liberals. i am so darn proud to a fire breathing flaming liberal. gets some balls barack and bring down these idiots. take back our country or we will have nothing to leave to our children but war and debt. obama/biden in 08. God sure has a weird sence of humor with all of these hurricanes and tornadoes. nobody wanted to hear the slimy republicans any way

I think a bunch of people here are being downright ridiculous - or is that just political?

Now you are saying DailyKos IS Obama - no, they are not - the existed as a blog PRIOR to Obama announcing even his run for presidency, but you will bellow that till you are blue in the face because it suits your purpose to do so.

And all of these 'female' posters on here, claiming to have been Hillary supporters who are posting in a froth of moral outrage - how many of you are just pretending to me Hillary supporters so as to create a false consensus that you hope Hillary supporters will fall for, thus bringing to fruition the desired result of drawing disaffected Clinton supporters to the McCain camp via having a female VP. We all know that is the agenda right?

Whatever people who like Obama or political blogs who like Obama might say - they are not proxies for the man who can speak for himself. As you can see from this article, his communicated view is to say 'hey, family is off limits'. For McCain's camp to insinuate or allege that Obama is responsible for DailyKos, shall we dig up all the ugly stuff on Free Republic and say McCain is responsible for that hmmmm? Quid pro quo.

For McCain's camp to make such allegations against Obama on this issue - that comes down to that camp trying to gain political leverage out of Bristol's pregnancy. Excuse me while I vomit - there is no decency in that purely psychopathic opportunism. Where is the heart? MIA.

Now you all talk about Obama 'reigning in his attack dogs', putting the muzzle on, being able to control all of these different people, 99% or greater of which he probably has NO IDEA who they are. The guy is running for POTUS, he isn't POTUS, he is not omnipotent, he can't control every person on the planet so they act the way he wants them to (and if he could and did oh the complaints there would be) and it would be completely freakin' downright stupid and pathetic to think otherwise now wouldn't it?

Some of the statements today on this board verify that two people can read the same story and get TWO DIFFERENT reads on it. I guess this means that reading comprehension has nothing to do with intelligence. I believe that the families should be off limits to the campaigns but not to the public, and even that should be at a minimum. The fact that this child is pregnant shows that the problem of teenage pregnacy is not exclusive to any group but more to our Nation. Maybe we can agree on that!!! As an Obama supporter, I am encouraged by this development because this snapshot clearly shows that a child who is born to a teenage mother can rise to be President (Obama). It also shows that there is still the same stigma now as it was then! Let's move on.

Let's not forget that it's the GOP that are the masters of filthy manure based politics. Who can forget the push polls that Karl Rove and his Klan of Pigs put out in 1999 that Sen. John McBush fathered a black baby out of wedlock. And now, these are the people that Sen. McBush is gleefully adding to his campaign team. Why else do you think Sarah Palin is the nominee.

Get off of your high horses, you REPIGLIKLAN THUGS. The mud, muck and manure of dirty politics is your domain. Why don't you put your pointed white hoods back on, and go out and shoot a wolf or a bear or something. You PIGS get off on killing animals just for the fun of it. FASCIST GOOSE STEPPING THUGS!!

Palmer, Alaska Councilman Richard Best | September 1, 2008 4:59 PM-
I should think that as a political animal yourself, you would be aware of the risks of smearing someone. Although your writing skills are primitive at best, the sense of your efforts at character assassination comes through. So even though you are not particularly adept at framing your "issue", the smearing concern you express does come through. In the spirit of educating those like you who obviously have not been paying attention, I'll attempt to elucidate you point by point.

Mrs. Clinton claimed that she could not hurry the release of her White House appointments calendars because their release was being held up by the National Archivist. The truth is that a battery of her lawyers was going over them to make sure there was nothing embarrassing in them. A redacted (you could look it up) set of documents was finally released. Even with the redacted set of documents, Mrs. Clinton was unable to completely bury or explain some of the more difficult “problematic” documents.

You refer to papers that are being held out of the public eye. Could you make the effort to be a little more clear? What do these documents supposedly reveal? How do you know they exist? What is the evidence you have that anything is being withheld?

Believe it or not, Wm. Ayers was a bad boy. You are right. Let’s see. Ayers was a bad boy in 1970, in New York and Washington D.C. 1970 was 38 years ago. 38 years ago, Obama was 9 years old and living in Hawaii. Are you following this? What would you like to know? Years later, when Ayers was a teacher at a Chicago University, Ayers and Obama were asked to sit on the board of a charity. They did. The works of the charity are public knowledge. Later, Ayers contributed 200 dollars to Obama’s campaign. You could look it up. You should know better than most how easy it would be to hide campaign contributions if you wanted to. Well, you probably do know, better than most. However, Ayers’ campaign contributions to Obama are a matter of public record, because unlike some small minded politicians, who have limited or no integrity, Obama released that information. Do you get that? It’s out there.

I think it’s incumbent on you to get started on Tony Rezsco. I’ve been to Palmer, Alaska. In fact, my college roommate, Neil Shanahan was a teacher in Palmer. I surely hope you were not one of his students. He could not be proud. Palmer, as you may know, is a bit smaller than Chicago. Now, this might take a bit more imagination than you can muster, but in his life Obama has never claimed to be a mindreader. And he did come in contact with lots and lots of people. Some of those people were interested in using Mr. Obama, or taking advantage of him. I realize you are a politician, or at least a wannabe pol. This may be difficult for you, but there has never been any suggestion of any improper relationship between Obama and Rezko. This has been discussed for years. If there had been anything, smearmongers like you would have exploited it long ago. Here’s a primer on Obama and Rezko for your edification: http://www.suntimes.com/news/watchdogs/757340,CST-NWS-watchdog24.article

No Mr. Best, you are content to attempt to smear a man of high integrity, with a brilliant mind, and a concern for my country that you could not possibly understand. Humbly, my ass.

USA1st====mgarnette25 and against obama didn't say anything worth commenting on. It's just old garbage that you guys have been recirculating for months. Maybe the sign in front of McCain's podium should read Family First, instead of Country First. After all, if we can't take care of our families, we don't have a country worth living in. My family always comes first before anything else. That's family values. Maybe Sarah Palin should think about that the next time she leaves her three day old baby to go back to the office or leaves her young daughters unsupervised so she can get a photo-op fishing or moose hunting.

How did Gov. Sarah Palin's teenage daughter's pregnancy become Obama's fault? He isn't the daddy and maybe the family values party needs to step up and admit teenage pregnancy isn't just for the poor and underprivileged -- then sit down, shut the hell up and let us talk about the economy, housing, energy and the war!

Palin's daughter's pregancy is not our business. What is our business is whether Palin will continue to support and mandate as VP "abstinence only" programs that clearly have not worked in her own family, and whether she will go around claiming the high road on "family values" when she is on the campaign trail full time instead of home taking care of her special needs Down's syndrome infant and her pregnant teenaged daughter.

Wow, this puts headlights on the fact that Obama supporters are a bunch of sexist thugs. Be careful; you are alienating women who weren't inclined to support a socially conservative ticket by picking on Sarah Palin and her career/life choices. How stupid is that?

I could care less that her daughter is pregnant. what i do care about is a party of rightous ideologs trying to force their ideals down the throats of the rest of us. if a woman wants an abortion what right do these nuts have to be in anyone bedroom. the funny part is that they are christian right wing nuts who appear to be obsessed with sex, anybody's but their own. My problem with obama is that he is trying to rise above the fray and run a clean campaign. he just doesn't get it.these republican win by any means necessary karl rove lead trogs are not playing. we dems need a carbon copy rove attack dog or we are going to be looking at palin as our next dubya president because mcsame won't survive past the inaugural ball

What? It's not Obama's campaign direct reports or reporters that are the problem. It's his despicable online blogging community who started the horrible rumors about Bristol being Trig's mother. Doesn't get much lower than that. When is he going to put a muzzle on you people? At this point, one can only conclude he is deliberately turning a blind eye so that he can appear to be 'taking the high road' while his sleazy online supporters do the dirty work. Ugh.

Palin is such as hypocrite and a self-centred woman. I got three kids and I just can't believe that Palin will leave all of them (including the disabled child) in Alaska whilst she pursues her high-flying life with the GoP.

SISTER PALIN, YOUR FAMILY NEEDS YOU MORE THAN THIS COUNTRY NEEDS YOU! Go and put you house in order first (and look after your grandchild) before you try to change our lives. Our lifes are better than your dysfunctional family.

Ha, ha, ha........Vice-president of America (and possible President if her grandpa McCain drops dead from the excitement of see Palin in short skirts) has got a teenage, pregnant daughter out of wedlock! Palin can't even control her kids (or her urge of getting pregnant repeatedly), what chance has she got of running the country?

Next breaking news in 2009: McCain-Palin announce that they are expecting their first child together. This is God's will and hence can't be terminated.

Ha, ha, ha........Vice-president of America (and possible President if her grandpa McCain drops dead from the excitement of see Palin in short skirts) has got a teenage, pregnant daughter out of wedlock! Palin can't even control her kids (or her urge of getting pregnant repeatedly), what chance has she got of running the country?

Next breaking news in 2009: McCain-Palin announce that they are expecting their first child together. This is God's will and hence can't be terminated.

Ha, ha, ha........Vice-president of America (and possible President if her grandpa McCain drops dead from the excitement of see Palin in short skirts) has got a teenage, pregnant daughter out of wedlock! Palin can't even control her kids (or her urge of getting pregnant repeatedly), what chance has she got of running the country?

Next breaking news in 2009: McCain-Palin announce that they are expecting their first child together. This is God's will and hence can't be terminated.

Ha, ha, ha........Vice-president of America (and possible President if her grandpa McCain drops dead from the excitement of see Palin in short skirts) has got a teenage, pregnant daughter out of wedlock! Palin can't even control her kids (or her urge of getting pregnant repeatedly), what chance has she got of running the country?

Next breaking news in 2009: McCain-Palin announce that they are expecting their first child together. This is God's will and hence can't be terminated.

Ha, ha, ha........Vice-president of America (and possible President if her grandpa McCain drops dead from the excitement of see Palin in short skirts) has got a teenage, pregnant daughter out of wedlock! Palin can't even control her kids (or her urge of getting pregnant repeatedly), what chance has she got of running the country?

Next breaking news in 2009: McCain-Palin announce that they are expecting their first child together. This is God's will and hence can't be terminated.

This attack by the Obama campaign and his Democrat Operatives is despicable, repugnant and reprehensible. The Palins are blue collar average American's, people who have worked with their hands. A breath of fresh air.

Millions of voters can identify with this type of personal family matter and the vast majority of America rejects this type of attack by Obama on American's and their families.

Obama and the Democrats gambled wrongly on this attack and it has backfired. It shows their lack of maturity and that they are not ready to lead America.

This type of Chicago style "Democrat Elitist" politics attack on working families is pure desperation on the part of the Obama campaign because the polls are tied in a year which by every measure should have been showing a landslide long ago.

There will be no landslide, no mandate, and in fact Obama could very well loose this toss up election. They are desperate and it shows.

I think that Obama’s decision to keep families off limits is very honorable. This is a very important campaign and it has nothing to do with their families. It is an ethical decision on his part. If we paid attention to the lives of their family members and the decisions that they make, we would never decide on who our president should be. But if democrats wanted to play dirty this would be an ideal opportunity. Obama has always been very consistent with his values and how he believes this race should be ran. Keeping the families of both parties out of this situation is an excellent idea. After all, Sarah Palin's daughter is not running for president. We should focus more on issues that can actually affect our lives. I think that is what Obama wants us to do. Let us not lose focus. However I do wonder if the tables were turned, would McCain make the same decision.

Just can't believe that such large number of Americans are plain stupid and right-wing fanatics to vote GoP! That old pervent + beauty queen combination will push your country back another 20 years (+ the 20 years already pushed back by Bush!. Palin - what a joke! Five kids (note: one unmarried-teenage-pregnant daughter) and power crazy - is she your next VP? Hypocrite McCain - divorced his first wife because she became disfigured in an accident (had an affair with another woman whilst still married) - what right has he got to talk about Biblical values? You got once in a lifetime candidate in Barack Obama - don't blow your chance away!

It started out as a Chigago style political attack by Obama on an American family private matter and has now blossomed into an indictment and exposure of the nasty Chicago politics that Obama is attempting to subject America to.

Notice he won't denounce and repudiate DailyKos who is his lead Operative site.

His damage control attempt is too little, too late.

My family has gone through this and we know others who have. He lost my vote.

Well since the Obama Campaign seem to feel that attacking millions of American families who are dealing with exact the same private matter is in keeping with the principals of the Democrat Party, then its time to bring up Obama's rampant Bisexuality and hard drug use.

Look up Larry Sinclair and also look into why 3 gay members of Obama's church were suddenly murdered in a short span of time when Barrack was preparing to run.

Thank God Hurricane Gustav seems to have largely spared New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. It certainly is fortunate that the lives and greater good of a considerable portion of our US citizenry has been spared the tragic outcome of the last great national disaster and that our focus remains squarely on the good of the country... What? Sarah Palin's daughter what...? Oh man! That's classic!

I'm afraid of teen pregnancy! No wait...I'm afraid of fundamentalism! No wait...I'm afraid of Hillary Clinton! Um...afraid FOR Hillary Clinton! I have opinions! I. HAVE. OPINIONS! I don't necessarily comprehend everything I feel, but I FEEL them very strongly.

Ultimately though, if Palin thinks she can balance the current family situations with being VP and potentially also becoming President and her family back her in that, then good luck to her. I'm not her, I personally don't see how I would be able to do it myself, but the key thing is maybe she can.

At the same time, I wouldn't be surprised if at some point she resigns.

You republicans will blame every and anything on Obama. He isn't responsible for the low values Bristol Palin was raised with. How is Obama responsible for her pregnancy. It is McCain's poor judgement in choosing a woman who neither she nor her family was vetted. That's not the judgement we can believe in. Another ridiculous notch in McCain's belt!

Obama didn't stand up for Hillary. BAD MISTAKE! Defending Governor Palin now is as hypocritical as it gets. His decision to diss the most competent and capable woman politician in our country, and now has the audacity to use the same old transparent campaign strategy of nasty switch and bait politics, will not win the support of average American voters. He has no idea how the general electorate feels about his actions, arrogance and the way he has run his campaign. Like it or not -- Obama will lose in November.

How dare you clueless morons accuse the Obama campaign of fueling these stories.

There are conservative blogs and liberal blogs and both fuel stories so get over your hypocritcal selves.

Sarah Palin..Ms. family values has a sexually active teenager who did not use protection and got pregnant.

This has nothing to do with Barack Obama. So instead of spewing your nasty, disgusting vitriol, take a look in the mirror and realize that you are just as bad as the bloggers you are railing against because you spew hatred and lies.

Palin has been a disaster..all the way around..and she will sink McCain's candidacy..I guarantee it..so there.

Perhaps what we should be talking about instead is how supportive the workplace currently is for women who have children. Can they make the VP role more friendly to the role of being a mum? Can they make any number of other jobs more friendly to that role?

You see, a big part of the problem is that dual earning couples or working single parents has pretty much become the norm out of necessity. Economic realities don't allow the flexibility that people having their kids in the 1950's to 1970's might have experienced.

Then you have the whole wage slave scenario, where it is becoming increasingly normative to work more hours than you are paid for - ergo heightened productivity for no employee gain, and at times actually employee loses.

If the infrastructure was improved and current workplace expectations brought back to a reasonable place then people would be better able to balance their work and family life. At the moment though, it is way out of whack.

But coming back to the issue Palin - is the VP role (and potentially becoming the President also) one that is going to have the required flexibility for her current family circumstances. In this I would weight most heavily the presence of a 4 month old.

Many American families deal with this kind of thing and can sympathize with the Palin family.

The Obama campaign working through his Political Attack Machine and Operatives on DailyKos.com and other sites gambled wrongly and will get no traction out of this story.

In fact it is having the exact opposite effect and showing America once and for all that Obama is no "Change Agent" - he is simply more of the same. Obama and his people are simply more vicious, nasty, partisan angry people who are not about changing anything.

Anyone who doesn't believe Obama is behind these despicable attacks on families doesn't know a thing about Chicago politics.

This is pinned squarely on Obama and until he proves he is not behind it by denouncing DailyKos - then he owns this problem.

Allessia M wrote: "We understand by your attitude and that of other Obama supporters that the Obama campaign clearly has an intense hatred of family values. Ok, we get it.

Does the Obama campaign bring anything else to the table besides this intense hatred and anger surrounding the campaign?

Really, you people should get a grip at how you come off to the rest of us. Nothing but abysmally angry hate-filled people swirl around the Obama campaign. It's a real turn off to the rest of us voters."

You are being awfully one-sided in your critique which makes me believe you are just trying to bait people into disliking Obama.

Not to mention that "family values" have become just a catch phrase for the republicans. Remember these are the same people who brought you such memorable slogans like "right to work", "right to life" and "alternative interrogation techniques".

Their actions go far from making them the "anointed party" crusading against what is attacking the American family. Believe me, there have been plenty of "Children Left Behind". What they do is publicly support something moral and then operate in another mode. Quick quiz: how many pro-family candidates have been caught in public bathrooms or other compromising situations?

Your post, by insinuating hateful speech by only one side is in itself, hateful.

But as an independent woman voter, I call BULLSHYTTT on Palin and the Republican party for their insanely hipocritcal stance.

This is not about Palin's daughter, THIS IS ABOUT WHAT THAT RIGHT WING NUT JOB RELIGOUS ZEALOT WOULD DO TO ROLL BACK THE CLOCK INTO THE DARK AGES ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN THIS GREAT LAND OF OURS IF ELECTED.

Do Americans realize where she STANDS ON THE ISSUES?????

If elected she would--

1. BAN Contraception for Women!!

2. If your daughter was RAPED or the victim on INCEST, she would refuse her the right to a safe and legal abortion, even if her life was in grave danger.

3. She preaches ABSTINENCE, and not any kind of sex education!!!!

If she wants to ruin her own child's life that is her business-(sadly for Bristol)- but we will not allow her to RUIN LIFE FOR EVERYONE ELSE!!!!

For women everywhere this is AN OUTRAGE OF HISTORICAL PROPORTIONS, and a clear indication that John McCain has lost his EFFING MIND once and for all!!!!

Rep William Jefferson: I'm just sharing my opinion from the way I see it. When I had to come to a point of tossing things up between the job I was doing and my child's needs I realized that life is too short a period and family means more than anything.

I could run for glory and get my name on numerous papers sitting on dusty shelves or computer archives and feel very satisfied about it, feel it had proven my sense of worth to myself as my child struggled to get my attention through her early years.

And I'm not saying that I won't still do a lot of good work and have a great career but every season has its time and I felt I was getting into a situation where my child worked around me rather than me working around my child and that is not fair to the child who didn't chose to be born, didn't chose to have me as their mother - I made that choice for them and I have certain responsibilities because of that.

My child and the children she has are the greatest part of my future. On the day I am buried they are the ones who will mourn me the most and they are the ones who carry me with them into their futures. That's not ego, that is natural and it is real.

funny how the "Moral Minority" is in fact exactly in the same boat as the "American Majority"...

That said...

Gov. Palin's personal choice to get pregnant at age 43 and give birth at 44.. raises serious concerns about her ability to make even the basic of sound personal choices..

as an Educated and Accomplished Woman... in the 21st Century...

It is common knowledge that pregnancy over the age of 35 carries serious risk to the fetus and the mother....

She Gambled... and her newborn child must now cope with a disability for the rest of his life..

when the more prudent and adult choice would have easily been to NOT GET PREGNANT...

Because we all know... IF YOU ARE NOT PREGNANT... Pro Choice or Pro Life is no longer a choice you have to make personally...

It just shows a total lack of good sense, especially for a newly installed Governer and the demands such an office would obviously present..

forget that she placed herself and her unborn child at great risk by traveling from Texas to Alaska after her water broke..

forget that she choose give birth after she most assuredly knew this child would have Down Syndrome..

forget that she is willing to sacrifice her personal care giving to a baby in need and is willing to have the hired help be her stand in..

Fact is.... if she had shown even tiniest amount of foresight... she would not have had to place herself in such a place to make such a decision... a decision that in effect have condemned her infant to a life he not only did not ask for... but that was in fact decided for him... She had the choice... Trig... he did not......

To ALLESSIA M - please provide one piee of evientiary material to support your BS accusation. Alternatively, you can slither under the rock already occupied by Larry Sinclair -- you'll make a fine couple of rumor mongers and haters.

it seems pretty clear that McCain's staff wasn't behind this slur against Palin's daughter but they were immediately trying to pin it without any evidence on Obama's staff. that's sleaze politics! i would hope McCain will fire whoever in his staff is responsible.

And although modern day ideology says 'well the dad can pick up where the mum can't' - I would say, yeah, to a certain extent they can. Mum's and Dad's are both important for a child's wellbeing - on some things dad is more important - like having a good relationship with your dad is linked to getting on better with friends while this is not the case for your relationship with your mum. But there are also a whole host of things that children get mostly from their mums, that their dad's don't really have much impact on. Mum's are important. Like the sun rises and sets, they always have been important to their children and in a lot of instances no one but mum will do.

I have sympathy with the girl who dared to go on dating with a Pakistanee moslem guy and result is before us. It is a Dems-media that thinks everything reps do is wrong. Reps gave a policy...No Child Left behind..and it works...so, it does not make any sense how many kids does she have or her daughter have, everybody will find a place in the VP house with nannies and grannies....after all we believe in family values.

Yes, it is certainly "to(o) bad that the crappy Democrat Teachers Union-run public schools produce the poorly educated people that they do. America has slid downhill in education ever since the Democrats went Left in the 1960's and took over the education system.

To LARRY SINCLAIR - look to the GOP and the right wing evangelicals for runors of illegitimate children, drug use and slurs against a candidates family -- not the Democrats. Remember, it was the Bush campaign and Bob Jones University that hit McCain in 2000. Gutter work is the trade mark of you and those like you!! Slither back under your rock you dip stick.

Sir she is the working-class lunch-pail folks [sic] that cling to guns and there[sic] religion and it is here in the Heart land of American that you will find you[sic] defeat that you have been so eagerly looking for!
Posted by: Richard Best | September 1, 2008 5:43 PM
==========================================
Man to bad the bible don't teach you how to spell...

The situation with Palin's daughter is unfortunate, and bad timing, but for conservatives, her response is consistent with how conservatives view these things: that pregnancy will not end your world. And having a moral position against premarital sex, or supporting abstinence is not somehow invalidated when one's own child ignores you. As a parent, your children will make their own choices, often wrong, or foolish.

Second, Dailykos has been around for a while, and in the same manner that unrelated supporters of McCain have smeared Obama, repeatedly, you will find that on the Democratic side too. For every Kos, you can find a Republican leaning equivalent, so it's just stupid to express conspiracies or act like it's one sided. Sites like Kos actually cost Obama more problems than it's worth. And let us not forget who was doing the silly commericals with Moses and Hilton's.

Which brings me to... experience. Let's be clear that in attending Columbia, graduating from Harvard Law (with honors), running the Harvard Law Review, teaching constitutional and civil rights law, that there is a whole wealth of research, analysis, and communication that is beneficial to a candidate. Often at the top schools, your professors are in and out of government, and you are in fact discussing many of the important issues of the day pertaining to labor, constitutional, tax and civil rights law. I heard someone say, "Oh he is just a lawyer." Well duh... what does the government do? It creates law, and better to have people in the jobs there that have some historical understanding of both law, and how it can be abused.

That is invaluable, this intellecual study that goes on in college. It prepares you to think long and deeply about many issues. And it's often why many lawyers do end up in government.

Palin is lacking that entire rigorous foundation. Sure it's possible to go without, but in a time when many laws (including financial ones) are up for serious review, why Palin, why now?

When you add to this Obama's experience representing a district equal in size to the population of Alaska for many years, while initiating legislation and actively representing his community (while Palin sat representing 5,000), the experience issue takes on a different light. The experience is not in the "title" but in the complexity of what you do, and Obama actually had to work with many more people to get things done for a vastly greater population over a longer period of time.

People can sit around and say things like "Rezko", as though saying the name says something, but one can very easily do something as simple as an "Obama wiki" search on Google, and on his wife, to get a really concise version of the man's career and achievements, and there is a lot there. If one is not thoroughly just trying to be partisan or ignorant, you can click the links, or even visit Obama's site, or check government records.

It seems there is a lack of ability of many people to speak honestly, or do the real research. Because they made the decision first, and don't want to accept information that invalidates preconceived notions.

Am I biased? Certainly. I lean Obama, have voted Republican since Bush senior, actually like Palin's social views, (and also feel like Bush has taken a certain amount of unnecessary hits), but also think that we are in serious need of the type of change that does not continue record deficits or a disregard to more nuanced international dealings.

Classy statement from Sen. Obama. Too bad his supporters are scum (as are the supporters on the other side). I've said it before, and I'll say it again... our problem is not our leaders, it's the self-righteous ignorance of the electorate. We've had bums at the highest level of government, and we've had better than we deserve.

Well since the Democrats seem to feel that attacking 17 year old females is in keeping with the principals of the Democrat Party, then its time to bring up Obama's rampant Bisexuality and hard drug use.

Look up Larry Sinclair and also look into why 3 gay members of Obama's church were suddenly murdered in a short span of time when Barrack was preparing to run.

Norma - I'm not from the Obama Campaign and I am a mother with a PhD who has worked in a high pressure job, just recently quit and now looking for something that balances my need to ensure that my ability to be the mother my child deserves me to be is not compromised.

There are a lot of us that have tried to have it all, but the reality is that it is difficult and your kid often does end up suffering for it.

I can be as focused on my career as I want to be once my child is OLD ENOUGH to look out for herself but right now she is dependent on me and if I made the choice to be a mother then I have to put her needs first.

To not do so, it would be a lifetime of regret for me to have not been there when she needed me and a lifetime of reflected hurt for her and I am not willing to do that to my child.

I have a career, I'm a successful woman, but if I have to sacrifice for the good of my child I will do it.

We understand by your attitude and that of other Obama supporters that the Obama campaign clearly has an intense hatred of family values. Ok, we get it.

Does the Obama campaign bring anything else to the table besides this intense hatred and anger surrounding the campaign?

Really, you people should get a grip at how you come off to the rest of us. Nothing but abysmally angry hate-filled people swirl around the Obama campaign. It's a real turn off to the rest of us voters.

As a foreigner I am thoroughly enjoying this campaign..... At last we see men fight as gentlemen [no offense untoward ladies, you are more in there than ever]. It appears that American politics has finally realized the power of reason, pragmatism and above all the common sense to bear the responsibility that is required by the most powerful nation of the world. My Grandfather worked on the "Manhattan Project", an Australian scientist, I will always remember as a young child being taught the importance of ones convictions and the tolerance to listen, hear and understand the message of those that I do not agree with. Only then can one form a true opinion.

I mean - how much is that heavy stuff for a family to adjust to? Pregnant teen and a special needs child? That is HUGE. If she is absent for most of the time with her job that will be severe pressure on the family.

You repulsive, sick and twisted "family-values" Republicans attack Obama and his family and now the Associated Press allows a deliberately UNNAMED McCain aide to claim Obama's campaign has launched dirty rumours.

Yeah. Right. Sickos. You already brought us 8 years of Bush. You want another 4 years of Bush and you're willing to lie, cheat, and steal for it like you did the previous 8 years.

Ok - hate to say it BUT...If Sarah has a 4 month old Downs Syndrome Baby and a teenage daughter who is soon to become a mother ummmm...that young baby needs her mother, and that young daughter needs her mother too.

How is she going to give them the support they need and also run around campaigning and then having to drop everything for the country whenever she is required to?

That would take one heck of a super woman in my books to be able to be 2IC to a country and not neglect their infant and their teenage daughter who just became a mum. Quite frankly, I think the baby and the teenage mum will end up getting the short end of the stick.

On one hand you see the Obama led Democrat party attacking the families of other American's in the most reprehensible, nasty, personal, repugnant partisan way.

On the other hand you see the Republican Party holding a fund raiser and outpouring of help to American's caught in a large natural disaster. You see the Republicans rallying America to help those devastated by this storm no matter what their political persuasions are.

The choice couldn't be clearer between the two parties.

The Democrat convention knew this massive storm was coming and could have done what the Republicans are doing. Instead they chose to hold a sickening Cult of Personality Spectacle of downright worship of Obama, Kennedy and themselves.

Instead Democrat Leaders and Party Members to include Michael Moore and others joked about the hurricane and showed their intense glee about this catastrophe befalling Americans.

This is no different than Democrats such as Ward Churchill and others showing glee about the attacks of 9/11/01.

Thus the Democrats have proven they are the phony, nasty attacking partisans with the cheesy "Rock Concert" convention that was all about them and a ME! ME! ME! attitude.

I mean come on, at the DNC "finale" those were the cheesiest fireworks I have ever seen. The confetti streamers got all tangled up with everything and looked like a big ridiculous mess draped over the "GOD TEMPLE". It was over the top and a joke. They could have instead donated the money to the victims of Gustav - but instead they wanted it to be all about them. It’s all about Obama and everyone knows it.

The Republicans are showing they are the party that is solidly behind helping American families when it most counts.

Palin's nomination is an act of desparation by the McCain campaign. Obama has been in the national spotlight for 4 years. Before that he was a member of the Illinois llegistlature - in a state where most counties are more populous than the entire state of Alaska.

Before during and since that, he was lecturer (professor, but not on the full-time staff) of one of the most prestigious universities in the world as an expert in Constitutional law. He was also a successful community organizer in the South Side of Chicago and a top performer at Harvard University.

Chose one of the most senior, knowledgable foreign policy experts in the Senate as his running mate.

In my opinion, Obama has proven that he has the judgement and the leadership ability to be president.

--------------------------------------
Let's look at Palin, the result of McCain's first presidential decision.
--------------------------------------

Sarah Palin has the following attributes:

Christian theocratic extremist who believes in the primacy of religious dogma over the Constitution.

Against all forms of gun regulation. Supports hunting wolves and bears from aircraft.

Against any environmental regulation. Supports drilling in all areas without control (including ANWR)and supports allowing a gold and copper mine larger than the state of Delaware(which would excrete huge amounts of toxic liquid watse, including cyanide) with no protections for local waters in place.

Against women's right to choose with no excemption for rape an incest.

The above are all verifiable, objective FACTS. If you agree with those positions, you've got your candidate.

This is becoming one of the dirtiest political campaign in US history and for sure the sexiest campaign by democrats.

First Hillary was the victim and now Sarah and her daughter. Obama should start firing those who started the original smear campaign against Sarah's recent baby, before this backfire and the
public fire him and his team.

USA 1st writes: “Some great posts here that Democrates are refusing to talk about. Mgarnett25 and Against Obama posted some factual info and no one FAR LEFT hack has tried to defend Obama. That to me is telling, the Obama folks probably are niot even willing to read posts against Obama and discuss them…
AND

MGARNETT25 IN NJ posts:
NEVER take anyone's word... GOOGLE THE INFO ABOVE and read and learn for yourself.

USA 1st obviously did not follow MGAQRNETT25’s advise. What factual info? You mean “fractural” info. If you read the Jerusalem Post the article clearly states not one iota of the story can be VERIFIED. What high ranking official did Biden talk with behind closed doors? The topic(s) have been discussed ad-nauseam. What is the point in continuing the discussion with individuals who refuse to accept there is no substance to the accusations, you are simply beating a dead horse. What is telling is the subject is being ignored, for good reason.

I have a feeling that we will find out that she only has four kids and this is her daughter's second pregnancy!Of course the media will not do the digging to find out but imagine if this Obama's daughter. Could you imagine the news press if we thought that one of his daughters were having premarital sex? Even if they were older this would be a huge story about his family values.

"Palin--mayor a town of only 9,000 people.
Obama--never mayor of anyting
Palin--Govenor of Alaska
Obama--Illinois senate, most of which has been spent running for president.

She has more experience than Obama, and we are only voting here as VICE president."

So you think working at a city level as opposed to a state level gives you -more- experience? Hardly. Palin was a public servant for a few thousand people in one town, where as Obama has served millions in his home state. And for the record he isn't just an Illinois state senator, he's been a U.S. senator since January 2005, and didn't announce his candidacy for president until a little more than two years later in February 2007.

Next time before you go flame baiting a candidate that you don't support, try backing up your argument with facts instead of what you -want- to believe. It will make you look credible, and much less like the ignorant moron that you've made yourself out to be here.

Back on topic, I think its great that Obama has and continues to encourage the media to focus on the important issues and policies in this election, and to stop reporting on all the personal history gossip that doesn't matter.

Palin's daughters pegnancy has nothing to do with her qualifications to be vice president and for all that thinks otherwise, we could also discuss the illigitamate son of an african black man that is so set on being elected president.
It's about the same thing only one is a DEM and the other a Repub.

Go Obama! Always taking the high road no matter how often they smear you. And as for Kos being the mouthpiece of the Obama campaing - are you kidding me? Do you ever read right wing blogs - lots of hatred, name calling and mudslinging. Is everything spouted on every right wing blog McCain's sentiment as well?

Obama has shown real character on this issue, and he stands in stark contrast to Republicans who think nothing of dragging family members of a political opponent through the mud at every chance.

Can you imagine the hate right-wing evangelicals and Republican mouths would have spewed over the airwaves and across the Internet had Chelsea ended up single and pregnant at 17?

Obama stands head and shoulders above McCain who immediately took the low road and flung false accusations against Obama by blaming him of smearing Palin's daughter. McCain accused Obama because McCain hoped to use the issue as a weapon to smear Obama's good name by pretending to defend Palin's child from big bad Obama.

Throughout his campaign, McCain has done nothing but attack Obama's character just as McCain and his supporters attacked Hillary when McCain thought she would be his opponent.

McCain laughed when a McCain supporter asked McCain if he could beat the b*****!

This was during the primaries.

This was during the time when right-wing mouths questioned Hillary's laugh or smile or frown or anything that would cause others to doubt her authenticity.

Good for Obama. He is showing real integrity. Not the fake, canned integrity you see coming from Republicans and right-wing preachers.

The supporter who asked if McCain could beat the b**** was referring to Hillary, and how did McCain answer?

McCain laughed. He thought it was funny, calling Hillary the b****!

McCain, who is attempting to drive a wedge between Hillary supporters and Obama, did not have the integrity to tell the supporter he would not accept that tone nor language when speaking about Hillary.

Remember, McCain laughed when one of his supporters referred to Hillary as the b****! He had his chance and he took the low road, the wrong road, the road that takes us through the lowlands of muck.

Obama stands far above McCain who took not one step toward condemning the mean-spirit, hateful and untrue rummormongers who attempted to taint Obama as a Muslim and who attempted to cast Obama's wonderful, smart, professional wife as a hater of America. McCain was silent when those attacks came.

But not Obama, not now, not ever, because Obama has class and McCain does not.

Not only did McCain not speak out against such filthy lies about Obama and Michelle, McCain tapped into those lies with his commercials that ran on the Internet suggesting Obama is "the one" and then lied about what he hoped those ads would do.

Those who have listened to right-wing evangelicals who know hate more than they know Christ, realize the reference in McCain's ad wasn't pure fun, wasn't something to giggle about just as calling Hillary names was nothing to laugh about.

Yet, McCain laughed. And his ad against Obama reached a low-point in scum politicking.

The sybolism in his ad against Obama was deliberately stolen from Biblical text and was meant to suggest that Obama is the anti-Christ. McCain meant that message to come through and then McCain lied about it when called on it.

It was just for fun, he claimed. I bet he would tell you, it was for fun just as it was when he laughed at the word, b**** when it was applied to Hillary.

Well I guess this is what they call vetting by fire. The problem with both Obama and Palin is that they had to crawl through their respective state party. To keep clean doing that is a tough task. Politics is all about favors. I commend Obama on his statement about family. The Gallup Daily seems to show a bit of a Palin bounce. http://www.gallup.com/tag/Gallup%2bDaily.aspx The real-time poll at http://www.bop-o-ram.com still shows a lack of momentum in McCain's bop count.

Sir she is the working-class lunch-pail folks that cling to guns and there religion and it is here in the Heart land of American that you will find you defeat that you have been so eagerly looking for!

Its clear that Obama lost control of his campaign via his site, DailyKos and now he is desperately attempting damage control because his campaign has been caught attacking a 17 year old. Obama is now on the defense due to the truly nasty nature of his campaign that lies just underneath the surface of the fireworks, stage and lighting.

America now see's the Obama campaign for what it is, and doesn't like it.

Congratulations to the Palin family! May they be blessed with a healthy addition to
their family. It is unfortunate that Bris-
tol, has to face, this added responsibility
at such a young age. She is fortunate to
have the love and support of her family, just like Jamie Lynn Spheres, Britney's
sister.

If this had happened to anyone on the Democratic side, the Republican smear machine would have gone nuts. Obama, as he always does and as he did with Palin's nomination took the high road. When the lie filled Obama Nation came out or the long line of smears about Michelle and Barack came out, John McCain occasionally refuted them, but most times kept silent. Obama has endeavored from the beginning to raise the level of discourse in this election, but the extreme right has always done everything to bring it down where they reside. Lay off the families and get back to the issues. I say Republicans lose by 30 if we do that, my guess is they're gutless and will put country last, let's see what they do.

DailyKos is the number one mouthpiece and central organization point for the Obama campaign.

What they say and think is exactly what the Obama campaign says and thinks, even if Obama is attempting damage control at the moment.

And yes, many of the top leaders in the Democrat party blog on that site frequently. Just search for the top leadership of the Democrat party by name and you will turn up a massive volume of activity on that site by the very top of the Democrat party.

As a lifelong Democrat, even I will admit it. And I am becoming more and more disgusted with what my party has turned into.

If you don't believe it, simply visit the site DailyKos.com. Don't take my word for it, read for yourself and read back through the history of what has been said on the site.

You will see the top Obama Campaign Operatives that live and breath on that site on a daily basis. And everyone who understands politics knows it.

Bristol was raised by conservative parents who are very well off and educated. Her mother is a governor and father is an OIL executive. I support her decision to keep the baby. It is even easier that she is probably going to marry the father and the parents are supportive and very well-off. But, imagine a teenager who is living on food stamp or at minimum wage without health insurance with little or no education probably duped and raped and become pregnant but does not know how to protect her rights and does not have her parents/community/society supporting her. For her it is so important that she has the choice for abortion. The mother will be subjected to serious health risks due to lack of care and under age and the child who will most likely born with some birth defect due to mother age, physical conditions and lack of health care. A birth would actually end two lives. A choice will actually save two lives. Let’s be rational, practical and reasonable in 21st century.

Saving life is not just life at conception …. It is beyond birth …. How our kids are raised, educated cared for ….. With no education, health care and at minimum wage, life is a worse punishment than death itself. Let’s ensure every one is guaranteed of education, health care and respectable wage …. that’s what will make life worth saving. Pro-choice is the choice to SAVE life ….. that is truly pro-life. Causing 100000 Iraqis die for no reason is not pro-life.

Senator Obama really is taking an activist role in leading the long march to a post partisan political process. Senator Barack Obama is courageously telling the press to lay off the poor Palin daughter and allow the family to handle this situation as they will.
Barack Obama stands for the politics of the future, not the past like McCain, the Republicans and the fat cats supporting their pernicious campaign to continue these unnecessary wars and hand outs for the super-rich.

Scott said: "Palin--mayor a town of only 9,000 people.
Obama--never mayor of anyting
Palin--Govenor of Alaska
Obama--Illinois senate, most of which has been spent running for president.

She has more experience than Obama, and we are only voting here as VICE president.

What's your excuse."

---

I don't give a rats butt about the experience. Look what all of the experience of Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld brought us.

I want a more progressive and compassionate leadership. I don't want another war to create even more people that wish to do us harm, I don't want a government that will give the farm to the wealthy and corporate interests, and I don't want to see our country driven further into debt so my kids can have a decent future.

Obama takes the high road. However, there is a public policy angle. Palin favors abstinence only education--not contraceptives or sex ed. Her own family problem typifies the result of such a reactionary, narrow-minded approach. A child and shotgun marriage at 17 are unlikely to lead to a stable and enduring home.

As for Mr. Best, his nasty ad hominem is almost comical in its absurdity. So Obama is responsible for Mr. Ayers terrorist acts when Obama was less than 8 years old? Guilt by association for something someone did more than a decade before you knew them. But when you don't have any ideas or a successful record, you resort to character smears and nasty distractions. Remember, these are the same people who said Gore had a deep character flaw. He went on to win the Nobel Prize, and we got stuck with the most incompetent and corrupt administration in US history.

Daily Kos is in no way affiliated with the Democratic party, and as a long-time KOS reader I have never seen a politician post there.

I agree that Daily Kos was a leader in getting this story out there, after having found a slew of articles and posts from Alaskans. Daily Kos acted in terrible taste, and even though they have apologized at their site, they have gone down a huge notch in my regard. I'm sure others readers feel the same.

But, sadly, if Kos hadn't done it, some other media source would have. The mainstream media have devolved into tabloid paranhas, feeding on the underbelly of life.

As usual you Dems are so twisted. Obama himself said his mother had him when she was eighteen, and in fact was pregnant with the man most of you are voting for when she was just seventeen--but look at you.
And the post's comments on someone with no experience being a heartbeat away from the Presidency. Well, that alot better than jusst going on ahead and voting for a President THAT HAS LESS EXPERIENCE THAN SHE DOES YOU MORONS>
Palin--mayor a town of only 9,000 people.
Obama--never mayor of anyting
Palin--Govenor of Alaska
Obama--Illinois senate, most of which has been spent running for president.

She has more experience than Obama, and we are only voting here as VICE president.

obama camp is behind the false propoganda on Palin.. He wants to divert the public focus on real issues like his 20 years in radical pastor wright's church, connections with convicted criminal rezko and terrorist Ayers...

The response given by Senator Obama is an exemplary lesson to those who are very keen to know about Mrs. Sarah’s daughter’s personal life. I do not see anything wrong to see a person having 5 kids as a VP of the United States. It does not see it a problem as there will be many persons in the WH to take care of kids. BTW, is it still possible to invite Mrs. Hilla and invite her to join the Reps and fight for this tight race? Besides, if kids can play in a daycare center, why can’t they in WH?

I’m going to get a little personal here. I share a lot in common with Ms Palin. I’m a father of five, one with special needs, and I also had a daughter who became pregnant at the age of 16. When this occurred some 7 years ago…I got mad…I stomped around…and then I realized that that I could fret and gripe all day long but it didn’t change a damn thing. Sh*t happens, life goes on and I wouldn’t trade my granddaughter for the world. Not in a million years. This issue with Ms Palin’s daughter is a non-political issue. It has nothing to do with politics and I am very happy that Sen. Obama made his announcement today stating that fact. If ANYONE has used or uses this as a political tool they should be FIRED…and not Valerie Plame fired…but really fired.

I would like to put a point on this though. As I stated in an earlier post on my blog…I was fully aware that the media would eat Ms Palin for lunch. The question to me is, what does that say about John McCain and his judgment? Why would he choose a running mate that he obviously knew was going to be eaten alive? His campaign stated they knew about this teenage pregnancy when Ms Palin was vetted. Did he really think no one would say anything…that the media that tore into Mark Foley, Larry Craig, and Bill Clinton would give Ms Palin a pass?

I must be a prophet and didn’t know it as I stated days ago that Ms Palin was simply a sacrifice of the GOP to the masses. I stated that she would be torn asunder…and the GOP would desperately attempt to point the finger at the Obama Campaign, to show that Democrats don’t actually support regular folks.

How sad it is to be a Republican power master. That you would sacrifice a beautiful family for your own petty desires. It’s a sad time in America. I feel for Ms Palin. I feel for her poor daughter as I had one of my own in the same situation. I feel for the Palin family and will give them my prayers. Apparently John McCain has no feeling whatsoever or he would not have put this woman and her family in this predicament. What does that say about John McCain’s judgment?

Mr. Best wrote: "His involvement with a Bill Ayer who is an admitted terrorist against the United States of America. Between 1970 and 1974 the Weathermen took responsibility for 12 bombings."

Sir, Obama was eight years old at the time of the weathermen bombings... that connection is tenuous at best. Besides their time at the University of Chicago, where Ayer also taught, Ayer contributed $200 to his State Senate campaign. That dog doesn't hunt... you'll have to do better than that.

Sarah Palin's evangelical-ness rubbed off on her daughter. When she's self promoted herself and away from the house, her daughter got the attention elsewhere.

This proves, when abstinence fails, granny will always raise the kid. It also proves Sarah's like Angelina Jolie, kids galore and still has room for politics...she's a CELEBRITY like the McCain clan mocks Obama about.

If Sarah is running, we have to take a long hard look at her values and apparently abstinence concept doesn't work. Besides we aren't given a LONG look at Sarah, McCain was so proud of her, he unveiled her late in the game and as a response to Biden. Sara can't claim any fame that Biden has. She's a quitter. She QUIT the City Commission job. She QUIT the Oil Commission...she can't play with the big boys, she goes off crying. She's a symptom of what's gone wrong in the last 8 yrs of idiocy. She's a loser...I LIVE in Alaska and hear the rumors about her, before the media got it recently. Her rating went from 99% - dropped to 80% and diving...but are they going to tell you that? LOL.
She wants to control her sisters life, but she can't even control her own. ENOUGH ALREADY! MORE OF THE SAME. SHAME on the REPUBLICAN smear MACHINE.

The Gov Palin pick certainly reflects more upon Sen McCain's judgment than on Gov Palin herself.

First, this selection puts the lie to Sen McCain's egotistical claim that he has always and will always put "country first." Who, in their most honest heart of hearts, thinks that a 72-year-old candidate should select someone who has only limited, at best, experience (and no national or foreign-policy experience) to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency? Is Senator McCain so full of hubris and arrogance that he believes himself to be immortal? While he has said he has "good genes" because his mother is in her nineties (--- but she wasn't subjected to physical torture early in life and cancer later in life), last time I checked his father is dead. Someone should inform Sen McCain "good genes" come from both parents.

Second, his selection of Gov Palin is an insult to women voters across this nation. Does Sen McCain actually believe that any woman can be the VP nominee and women (whether Hillary supporters or independent/moderate women voters) will, without discrimination and investigation and appropriate evaluation, vote only on the basis of gender? As Sen Obama said in his acceptance speech on Thursday night, perhaps Sen McCain just "doesn't get it."

Third, can and will Gov Palin be any kind of a realistic sounding board for Sen McCain to challenge his ideas about the complex issues facing this country? From observing her speech on Friday, it appears Gov Palin will be only a cheerleader to support anything Sen McCain wants to do. This reminds me of the Bush/Cheney administration --- only "yes men and women" need apply to support any idea advanced, even bad ideas. (This selection reminds me of the Harriet Miers pick by Pres Bush to become a Supreme Court Justice.)

Fourth, what was Sen McCain thinking about to make this selection without a thorough and proper vetting process? Apparently, from all the reports surfacing during the past 72 hours, Sen McCain made this selection without significant (if any) involvement of his closest advisors and after only one in-person meeting of longer than 15 minutes. Is this the kind of decision-making we can expect of Sen McCain should he actually become President --- shooting from the "maverick" hip instead of deciding on a course of action for this country from informed, rational thinking?

Finally, a question for Gov Palin --- what arrogance does she possess that she thinks she would be a better VP candidate for Sen McCain than any number of other Republican women (i.e., Sen Hutchinson from Texas) or, for that matter, the likes of Romney, Pawlenty, Ridge, etc.?

Posted by: ROBERT (WHO THINKS WOMEN ARE MORE INTELLIGENT THAN JOHN MCCAIN MAY BELIEVE) | September 1, 2008 5:04 PM
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I am so disgusted with all of you high and mighty DEMO-RATS! Surely none of you know or have a friend or a family member that hasn't experienced an out of wedlock pregnancy. Of course your plan of action would be to banish the young mother, send the father to another country and of course, abort the innocent baby!
There's no way I'd ever support, let alone vote for a member of your hate filled party.

However, the GOP and their kind are trying every trick in the book to defeat Obama, including lies, distortion, etc.

So, here goes: This is about Palin, NOT her daughter!

Palin has neglected her daughter for her own political ambitions or else she would have stopped her daughter from dating a man who much older than her daughter.
So, what does that say about her family values???
It speaks about Palin's judgment and character that she preferred political office over mothering.

By the way, who takes care of all Palin's children while she's running to be vice president?
Is she taking them all with her????

I totally agree with Obama, let's keep families out of this race. I only wished Republicans take this advice aswell and take a high road and avoid cheap attacks of Michelle Obama. Personal attacks against Michelle Obama has hurt the GOP and it shows most people are turned off from GOP attacking on people's lives instead of talking issues. Obama has proven above and beyond why he can lead American and bring people together.

It's frustrating for me to see Sen. Obama take the high road in matters such as this when McCain closed the gap by slinging mud. I give him credit for trying to run a clean campain but just hope he doesn't lose the election because he chose not to follow McCain's, and most polititians running for office, lead and resort to name calling. Maybe America isn't ready for change.

Yesterday at my home my wife recieved a phone call from a David L Kirby indicating he was working for the New York Times. He inquired about a car accident between myself and Bristol Palin.

This coming from the news media that can't find or refusses to find information as to then State Senator Obama's political documents during his state service. If you recall as to Hillary it was Obama who "criticized her directly for not releasing her correspondence as first lady, describing her tendency toward secrecy as simply "a problem."

If "journalist" really want answers then ask the right question. If Obama really wants to be the Leader of Change then ask him "why he does not demand and then produce all his papers that are being held out of the publics eye".

His involvement with a Bill Ayer who is an admitted terrorist against the United States of America. Between 1970 and 1974 the Weathermen took responsibility for 12 bombings.

Don't even get me started on the Tony Rezko issues.

I challange everebody including "journalist" to dig deep in to Obamas past with the same fervor that you have with the past of a 17 year old daughter of the republican VP pick.

Off limits my @$$. It's on! The father is 26 years old, she is 17. They have been dating for 3 years. This means that her mother let her 14 year old daughter date a 23 year old man. In America we call this rape and parents should be held just as accountable if they allow it to happen.
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I totally agree. However apparently Christian values means you’re allowed to pimp out your 14 year old daughter lol
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Christian’s have always tried to push their beliefs and values on you when they can't even uphold those values themselves... Get in the game man.

Posted by: Creamsykle | September 1, 2008 4:49 PM

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Attacking my values and my family’s values does not help your candidate at all.

I find the above folks analysis of Obama's words who think they can look into his heart and see what 'it' really meant to be preposterous, unchristian and obviously biased. Obama has indeed been the recipient of like minded baseless press, blog and personal attacks, and not just in this campaign. Who are you to say his response, which is the same response he has given throughout the campaign, isn't from the heart, isn't at the core of his character and isn't who he is. Shame on you.

If the girl is 5 months pregnant, then McCain either knew about it and sprung this on the American people knowingly, or his vetting process was a complete sham. Either way, I blame McCain more than either Palin or her daughter. This is just not the time for her or her family to be in the spotlight.

The tone of the anti-Obama posters reveals the ignorance of the posters more than it raises concerns about Obama. Here's a thought- read his book- if you can read- I believe that Barack is in a better position to understand and deal with all the people of this country as a result of his dealings with the people cited. He is sure as hell in a better position than somebody who has never bothered to get to know or understand the people served by those you find so objectionable. Your sense of your own superiority is apparent and undeserved. You live under a rock. Some people want to discuss issues, and the future of the country, not prejudice, lies or body parts.

Well since the Democrats seem to feel that attacking 17 year old females is in keeping with the principals of the Democrat Party, then its time to bring up Obama's rampant Bisexuality and hard drug use.

Look up Larry Sinclair and also look into why 3 gay members of Obama's church were suddenly murdered in a short span of time when Barrack was preparing to run.

Where there is smoke there is fire and everyone knows it.
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Larry Sinclair.....hahahahahaha

He was dis-credited long time ago. He stated that he would show proof and hasn't provided anything so far. But.........

If you have some information that Larry couldn't provide we would definitely be interested in seeing or hearing it.

Again. Youtube and Sendspace allow you to upload media free of charge and you can inform everyone of your claims(if you have it). If not, you're just another blowhard spouting off.

Sarah Palin ought to be put in charge of the this Administration's Abstinence Only sex education program immediately. She could be its Brownie and do an equally good job. And it would give her national experience, which she needs.

I predict that McCain will dump her but it will be said that she "chose" not to run for VP because of all the Liberals and Democrats attacking her family, and that, since she so cherishes family values, she had to drop out.

After reading the numerous news stories on this and reading the so-called "reader's posts" I fully believe that this smear campaign is orchestrated by the GOP. The vast majority of posts in the comment are from Paid RNC posters and bots. Basically stirring the pot of Sh*t as it were. They hide as being Pro-Obama and posting egregious comments. Then they respond to themselves with righteous indignation. What a joke.

If you are leaning to the GOP...ask yourself this: If Sen McCain knew about this ahead of time as his campaign said he has. Why did he pick Palin? He had to know that the media would rip her and her family to shreds. He had to know that they would tear into this woman, her seventeen year old daughter, and her past dealings with a fever. Unless he is totally incompetent he had to know. So what does that say about his ethics, his morality, his judgment? That he would sacrifice a decent,blue collar, American to the droves and the spin? I feel for Ms Palin...apparently McCain doesn't.

Well since the Democrats seem to feel that attacking 17 year old females is in keeping with the principals of the Democrat Party, then its time to bring up Obama's rampant Bisexuality and hard drug use.

Look up Larry Sinclair and also look into why 3 gay members of Obama's church were suddenly murdered in a short span of time when Barrack was preparing to run.

Some responses don't please anybody. If you hate Obama you'll come out and say "Oh he calculated this..." I'll take him at his word since he has not given anyone reason to think so. Try not to be too cynical.

As for the abortion issue, I think once this country addresses health care in a serious, non-lobbyist way, we'll see abortion rates decline. The republicans have seized on the issue so they can take the moral "high ground" but only on the face of it. Mr. McCain voted to extend SCHIP to cover babies from the moment of conception. Bravo to that... only he then proceeded to vote against the entire SCHIP program. Quite a contradiction don't you think?

Once people realize that it is not merely a theological or moral question and economics do play a part, then you can full say that we are committed to ending abortions. Someone pointed out that the abortion rate is lower in Europe. If that is true, maybe the fact that people in Europe have access to affordable health care (in most cases prenatal care and health care until the child is 6 years old... vaccinations, x-rays, even dental care is covered fully). THAT is a social commitment to children not what the states currently has.

Off limits my @$$. It's on! The father is 26 years old, she is 17. They have been dating for 3 years. This means that her mother let her 14 year old daughter date a 23 year old man. In America we call this rape and parents should be held just as accountable if they allow it to happen.
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I totally agree. However apparently Christian values means you’re allowed to pimp out your 14 year old daughter lol
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Christian’s have always tried to push their beliefs and values on you when they can't even uphold those values themselves... Get in the game man.

If Palin opposes abortion even in cases of rape and incest AND if she is a creationist who supports its teaching in public schools AND if she supports abstinence-only sex "education" then these policy issues are fair game. Grill _her_ on these issues 'till the cows come home. Leave her daughter out of it.

Off limits my @$$. It's on! The father is 26 years old, she is 17. They have been dating for 3 years. This means that her mother let her 14 year old daughter date a 23 year old man. In America we call this rape and parents should be held just as accountable if they allow it to happen.
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I totally agree. However apparently Christian values means you’re allowed to pimp out your 14 year old daughter lol

The fact is that in 2004 replublicans voted again for Bush so indirectly these replublican voters are responsible for the continuing death of our hero american soldiers and foreign civilians. So why don't the replublican voters wake up from their ignorance and stop blaming others for their own fall!

Palin CHOSE not to abort her down's syndrome baby. Palin's daughter is CHOOSING to keep her unborn child. I applaud their decisions, as my wife and I made the same CHOICE 35 years ago, and have never regreted it.

But if Palin had her way, those decisions would have already been made for her by the government. She would not have had a choice in the matter - no matter what.

Abortion is not a good thing, but unwanted pregnancies happen. Like Obama said, we can best reduce abortions by reducing unwanted pregancies. Yes, abstinance always works, but abstinance always doesn't happen. There are other ways.

Well since the Democrats seem to feel that attacking 17 year old females is in keeping with the principals of the Democrat Party, then its time to bring up Obama's rampant Bisexuality and hard drug use.

Look up Larry Sinclair and also look into why 3 gay members of Obama's church were suddenly murdered in a short span of time when Barrack was preparing to run.

All you Obama Haters do us a favor. Since you, and only you, have all the resources to document Obama's is behind this story, please post your sources so that we too can be enlightened. I mean the press just can't seem to get to the bottom of a story like you guys can. I'm sure you have video and probably tape recordings of the secret meetings of Obama's staff plotting on Palin's family.

You can upload your media on Youtube or Sendspace. Just post the links here and we can view/hear them ourselves

For heavens sake, Larry, Obama came clean about everything in his life. Arent you going to make an issue of Mrs. Palin's use of marijuana, which she admitted. Again, it is not the Dems going after a 17 year old, it is the media.

"The Republicans have bragged that Palin opposed the famous "Bridge to Nowhere," only to learn that Palin supported the project and even told residents of Ketchikan that they weren't "nowhere" to her. After the national outcry, she decided to spend the funds allocated to the bridge for something else. Actually, maybe it's more fair to say that coincident with the national outcry, she changed her mind. The story shows her political judgment, but it is not a reformer's credential."

"Likewise, though she cut taxes as mayor of Wassila, she raised the sales tax, making her hardly a tax cutter."

"She denied pressuring the state's chief of public safety to fire her sister-in-law's husband even though there's mounting evidence that the impetus did indeed come from her. Ostensibly to clear her name, Palin asked her attorney general to open an independent investigation—the legislature had already been investigating. (I am told that the campaign was aware of the ethics complaint filed against her but accepts Palin's account.)"

"McCain's campaign seemed unaware that she supported a windfalls profits tax on oil companies and that she is more skeptical about human contributions to global warming than McCain is."

"They did not know that she took trips as the mayor of Wasilla to beg for earmarks."

"They did not know that she told a television interviewer this summer that she did not fully understand what it is that a vice president does."

Well since the Democrats seem to feel that attacking 17 year old females is in keeping with the principals of the Democrat Party, then its time to bring up Obama's rampant Bisexuality and hard drug use.

Look up Larry Sinclair and also look into why 3 gay members of Obama's church were suddenly murdered in a short span of time when Barrack was preparing to run.

Well since the Democrats seem to feel that attacking 17 year old females is in keeping with the principals of the Democrat Party, than its time to bring up Obama's rampant Bisexuality and hard drug use.

Look up Larry Sinclair and also look into why 3 gay members of Obama's church were suddenly murdered in a short span of time when Barrack was preparing to run.

looks like Mccain has no more ammunition to win the election so he brings in Palin with sensitivity issues that would be Dem to attack. Old Replublican playbook to face the real issues in America and Americans are ignorant to see they are being played.

"Well since the Democrats seem to feel that attacking 17 year old females is in keeping with the principals of the Democrat Party, then its time to bring up Obama's rampant Bisexuality and hard drug use.

Look up Larry Sinclair and also look into why 3 gay members of Obama's church were suddenly murdered in a short span of time when Barrack was preparing to run.

Now that Obama shows class, the right-wing nuts will call him weak on family values.

The Republicans would never have let this down if it was a Democrat's daughter. They go after children, grandparents, parents, the family dog, their pet hamster. Any sludge the Republicans can dig up they use for their own political gain.

Well since the Democrats seem to feel that attacking 17 year old females is in keeping with the principals of the Democrat Party, than its time to bring up Obama's rampant Bisexuality and hard drug use.

Look up Larry Sinclair and also look into why 3 gay members of Obama's church were suddenly murdered in a short span of time when Barrack was preparing to run.

Senator Obama, as you must have read, said to back off. NEITHER HE NOR HIS CAMPAIGN HAVE ANY PART IN THIS STORY.

Speaking for myself, it is more about the lack of character I see in Mrs. Palin as information comes out about her problems in Alaska. Her record is not as good as McCain promoted. The fault, Lisa, lies with the McCain campaign. They did not vet this candidate. I feel sorry for Mrs. Palin for the spot she has been put in by McCain, and for her family.

This is really a blowout for McCain because he was trying to prove to the coverservitses that he is one of them but fortunatly the truth revailed itself when he pick a vp without know that much about her moral and leardership. the reason is very clear why the Mccain chose palin but it will cost him so much that mostly likely he will not win this election.

Well since the Democrats seem to feel that attacking 17 year old females is in keeping with the principals of the Democrat Party, then its time to bring up Obama's rampant Bisexuality and hard drug use.

Look up Larry Sinclair and also look into why 3 gay members of Obama's church were suddenly murdered in a short span of time when Barrack was preparing to run.

"As an Independent I was considering voting Democrat this year but find this attack by the Democrats lead and orchestrated by the Obama campaign on a 17 year old girl repugnant, reprehensible and shameful. It is clear now the depths that this once great party has sunk to. The Democrats have become downright scary.

I'm an Obama supporter but I disagree with his statement to keep off children. A chid who has sex is not child; it's a woman.

Ms. Palin should've spend more time and be closer to her daughter during her teenage years. As a mother I know there is this risk, but as a mother I also know that the only way to prevent it is to keep a good relationship with your daughter, one of trust.

Off limits my @$$. It's on! The father is 26 years old, she is 17. They have been dating for 3 years. This means that her mother let her 14 year old daughter date a 23 year old man. In America we call this rape and parents should be held just as accountable if they allow it to happen.

Well since the Democrats seem to feel that attacking 17 year old females is in keeping with the principals of the Democrat Party, than its time to bring up Obama's rampant Bisexuality and hard drug use.

Look up Larry Sinclair and also look into why 3 gay members of Obama's church were suddenly murdered in a short span of time when Barrack was preparing to run.

The GOP faithful (the hard-line Christian Right in particular) would be having a field day if the Dems had a woman on the ticket who:
1. had returned to work 3 days after giving birth to a child with Downes Syndrome.
2. had a pregnant teenage daughter.
3. Instead of returning home to support her daughter, continued to pursue her own career ambitions.

As a father of five, one with special needs, and a daughter who several years ago got pregnant at 16...I totally agree with Sen Obama. Sh*t happens, you can get mad, you can proselytize (on both sides), but in the end it doesn't matter. I wouldn't trade my Granddaughter for the world. It's a non-political issue.

What is a political issue for me is Mr. McCain's judgment. By his own campaign's admission they new of this pregnancy and yet they still thrust this woman and her family into the fray. Do the paid republican posters on here really think that John McCain and his hacks thought that none of this would be brought up? I truly doubt it unless they've been living in a cave somewhere for the last 50 years. No, McCain and Co. thrust this woman and her family into the limelight because the KNEW full well that the media would rip her apart. So much for the respect that Sen. McCain and his cohorts have for Blue Collar America.

As a pro-lifer I hope this will stir up a heated debate on abortion. Most democratic liberal countries in Europe have lower abortion rates than the US. Mostly because of teenage pregnancies. This is an outcry!

Obama takes the high road, but this does reflect on Mrs Palin's parenting skills. I think this definitely needs to be laid on the table by the media. It is an excellent opportunity to bring to light the republicans lack of understanding of the abortion issues. If they knew this before they picked Palin, they don't get it. If they did, they lied. Which one is worse?

LOL I guess I have to keep the discussion on the straight and narrow. Ms. Palin was never commander in chief of anything. The Alaska National Guard units were deployed overseas, they reported to the commander in chief of the USA--GW Bush. At no time did Governor Palin call up or lead the Alaska National Guard. Unfortunaely, Senator McCain mis-spoke in his interview. You should check these facts out yourself, or you risk appearing foolish.

I'd say it's nobody's business and the Palin family should have their privacy respected, except that several things do make this a legitimate public matter:

1) As an anti-abortionist she wants to make other woman's and girls' private pregnancy crises a very public matter, enforcable with police and jails. "Don't dish it out if you can't take it."

2) She is not only anti-abortion but anti-birth-control and anti-sex-education for teens aside from abstinence-only. Her own teen getting pregnant becomes an issue if she wants to keep every other teenager in America ignorant about birth control and how to get it.

I'd say it's nobody's business and the Palin family should have their privacy respected, except that several things do make this a legitimate public matter:

1) As an anti-abortionist she wants to make other woman's and girls' private pregnancy crises a very public matter, enforcable with police and jails. "Don't dish it out if you can't take it."

2) She is not only anti-abortion but anti-birth-control and anti-sex-education for teens aside from abstinence-only. Her own teen getting pregnant becomes an issue if she wants to keep every other teenager in America ignorant about birth control and how to get it.

Some people posting here seem confused. Obama comes out and is honorable about telling people to back off on Palin's family, and you say here that he is sliming her? CAN YOU READ?

Then folks like USA1st want to change the subject by baiting people to respond to their hysteria about things the media "won't cover?" Do you not remember the 24/7 coverage of Rev. Wright? Did you not see a "breaking story" on Ayers being interjected into the coverage of the Dem convention by FOX news?

And BTW, Rezko himself had nothing to do with the Obama's buying a home. His wife bought the adjoining lot. The Obama's qualified for the home on their own.

Consult some sources other than newsmax, rush, hannity, o'reilly--do some research on line, that is what I did.

Anonymous, do some research on Mrs. Palin yourself and make a calm, logical decision about her qualifications and the problems she may pose for the Republican Party. Not because some left wing person said it, because there are facts--like she is under investigation for ethics violations by the Alaska State Legislature, which is Republican.

If this were Obama, you would be all over it. So why not do your homework before you come screaming on a public forum.

Wow, its clear the Democrats are terrified of women, especially Sarah Palin.

Must suck to have such weak male candidates on the Left, neither of whom have ever been commander in Chief of any military forces. Sarah Palin is a military Commander in Chief and has more executive experience than the BB Boyz put together.

First the Dems slash Hillary and now the rest of women everywhere. Hillary looked so sickened, forced and unhappy it just showed in her face and the whole world saw it. Looks like the Republicans are the party that actually respects women.

As a father of five, one with special needs, and a daughter who several years ago got pregnant at 16...I totally agree with Sen Obama. Sh*t happens, you can get mad, you can proselytize (on both sides), but in the end it doesn't matter. I wouldn't trade my Grad-daughter for the world. It's a non-political issue.

What is a political issue for me is Mr. McCain's judgment. By his own campaign's admission they new of this pregnancy and yet they still thrust this woman and her family into the fray. Do the paid republican posters on here really think that John McCain and his hacks thought that none of this would be brought up? I truly doubt it unless they've been living in a cave somewhere for the last 50 years. No they thrust this woman and her family into the limelight because the KNEW full well that the media would rip her apart. So much for the respect that Sen McCain and his cohorts have for Blue Collar America.

The daughter story is nothing; I worry it is obscuring the real scandal. Mrs. Palin is getting her quick-study education in world affairs from John McCain's aid, someone named Scheuneman
(I wish I could spell that correctly) who is a lobbyist paid by the People's Republic of Georgia. I hope he can teach her to pronounce the name of the President of Georgia (John McCain had trouble with that) and I hope he gets her to memorize that (1) even though Georgia invaded South Ossetia and started the recent trouble, it was Russian aggression, and (2) we are all Georgians over here.
In case it is rude to be sarcastic, I apologize in advance.

The rumor was never about Palin's daughter's pregnancy. It was about Palin's purported lies. And if you review the evidence, it is quit believable.

The thrust of the argument (evidenced by various pictures) is that Palin's supposed 7 month pregnancy in February was completely imperceptible when she attended the Governor's meeting in Texas. At 7 month, non of Palin's staff had any idea she was pregnant until she mentioned then that she was.

At about the same time, images of Palin's daughter Bristol betrays a bulging stomach. I don't know about you but the supposedly pregnant one (Palin) had a flat stomach and the supposedly un-pregnant one (Bristol) had a bulging tommy! Hmn sounds interesting.

The press should investigate this. And for McCain and the nation's good, investigate it now everyone should. It will be a great damage to this nation if it came out after the election (and McCain had won) that Palin indeed lied to the nation about having 5 kids (instead of 4 kids and a grandchild).

This is not about the family. It is about the candidate, who has so far shown a tendency for unethical behavior. She is currently under investigation by the Alaskan legislative branch for an impeachable offense (firing an officer for not helping her fire another). This is attitude reminiscent of George Bush's Justice Department.

So the question really is do we want another Dick Cheney in the white house?

As an Independent I was considering voting Democrat this year but find this attack by the Democrats lead and orchestrated by the Obama campaign on a 17 year old girl repugnant, reprehensible and shameful. It is clear now the depths that this once great party has sunk to. The Democrats have become downright scary.

First of all: NO-Obama is not taking the "high road" as many have claimed on this blog-he is only doing what will make him look better! Even after everyone knows his campaign spread the rumors about Palin's youngest child not even being hers!!! Mark V-in response to your IGNORANT post- did it ever occur to you that maybe Palin's pregnancy with Trig was unplanned?!? I also know many women that have given birth after age 35 without any complications! She stood firm on her pro-life beliefs even after she learned that the baby would be born with Down's! Pretty strong woman if you ask me! Perhaps she wanted another child-what's wrong with that?!? With any pregnancy, there is a risk of defects regardless if you are 20 or 45! Secondly, I can tell that you don't have children, and if you don't-I hope you never do. It would be sad to have a father that would disown you for making a mistake! Parents do the best they can to teach their children what is right, but they can't be with them 24/7 to make their decisions for them! It's called GROWING UP!!!!

The fact that Palin's daughter is pregnant should have no impact on her campaign. Her daughter is old enough to make her own decisions. If anything, it makes me proud that Bristol was (so far as we know) honest with her parents and did not run to the abortion clinic, as so many of my generation do. That is what we need in our society today, more personal responsibility - and I don't see that in most liberal policies.

While I have extreme dislike for Obama and his policies, I am proud that he has come to Palin's aid in this situation.

Yes, Obama is in a class by himself. As some say, to follow his impeccable lead hurts, given the attacks that the right wing has inflicted just on this type of issue. I am so glad he made the point forcefully, with anger. He should.

Not only is this man real, but he is already lifting America out of her moral morass. Imagine when he is President.

And for those complaining that "liberals" are responding to their inane posts about the "issues" and the "fact" that they say are true but even the press will never report. Yea, right. This blog is about a different issue to start with. And, you are dealing in lies and "facts" gathered off the internet somewhere without corroboration and you are posting them yourself on an anonymous basis. Seems to me you are misleading things, avoiding the real discussion, and expect a lot if you think the world is going to squeeze into that Rabbit Hole with you.

Here's the deal. Sen. Obama wants to win but he doesn't want to win cheap and dirty. He wants everybody to have a fair shot and he wants to win. If the appetite of the media for everything shady and creepy is reflective of us, the consumers, then we need to stand up to it too and tell the press to back off. Of course, it's a noble gesture and a sincere one but it's not likely to change anything. Is it?

Posted by: Mindscape
Bill Clinton is a liar and an adulterer, and that's OK.
Now the future VP's young daughter is pregnant, wants to keep the child and marry the man. And that's an issue????
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No - It's only an issue when someone pushes their values on other people but the same things overlooked when it comes to their own lives.

Palin is another one of those nutty abstinence-only supporting wingnut politicians who can't seem to grasp the limits of such an approach. Teens will do what they will do. It's obvious Bristol would've been better served with a discussion about safe sex.
Instead, she's now facing a shotgun wedding to the baby's father.

Even as a Christian I do believe the Bristol Palin situation is just another example why we should NOT have Abstinence Only education. She is very fortunate that she has the financial means and family support she does - not all pregnant teens do.

Mr Obama is right...the only way this could become a campaign issue is if Mrs Palin supports teaching abtenance in schools opposed to actual sex education...as many conservatives do.
Then we would need to know why she supports pushing a policy on every child in America when the policy doesn't even work in her own home.

Everyone knows that KOS and DU has members of Obama's campaign staff and is just an extension of his campaign.
I like Obama but I really wish he would quit playing everyone as fools to pretend that the sliming never comes out of his campaign.Posted by: t. hill
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Sorry - It's pretty obvious that the Republicans are doing a lot of the sliming while Obama keeps trying to have a positive message. I have had way to much of the Republican parties lies.

How can Sarah be ready to be a VP when she have 5 kids, including an special need child and bay who needs her love and special bonding time with her and a teemager daughter who is pregnant and need her support and guidance during such a difficult time in her life. Something is going to suffer because she is human!

These rumors were being circulated in Alaska by Republicans -- including, rumors say, the Republican state senate leader who is a vicious political (and personal?) enemy of Palin's. They have been making the rounds on wingnut radio, and on wingnut forums for a long time.

McCain has again shown, as with his vote to pre-emptively invade Iraq, that he does not have the ability to make wise decisions and just like Bush he shoots from the hip instead of analyzing a given situation before hand.

Troopergate is just the current thing. She did the same thing when she was mayor. She actually fired people who didn't support her when she was running. They tried to do a recall on her election but it didn't work and she stayed in office. She is a petty little small time piece of crap.

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Troopergate is really a pretty serious thing... and it is something that Palin could control. It's not some trouble that her kid got into... it's her using her office to "fix" the messy problems of her family life.

OK, USA1st, I'll respond to these smears. We all know about Wright; he made terrible statements, but Obama does not share his views. Wright is not an evil man; he is merely angry. Obama understood this, which is why he stayed in his church.

You've also heard about Rezko. He raised money for Obam; he sold Obama some property. Later on, it turned out he was a thouroughly bad man. Obama seered connections with him upon learning this, including returning the donations Rezko bundled.

Ayers is somewhat les well known, and the reason the media doesn't pay any attention to him is that there is NO STORY. The extent of Obama's connection with Ayers is that he attended a party with him once and sat on a board with him. He did not elect to have Ayers on that board. No connection, no story. Don't be a gullible fool! RESEARCH before you heed the Rove tactics: fightthesmears.com

So lets see how honest you are capable of being. Given what you know, would you still pick her over say, Condoleezza Rice? You honestly think she was the best pick there was? J

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Palin is a real human with a family and family problems. She is not a washington android that has no background or personality. She has class and strength of character, that doesn't mean she is perfect or has no real life issues to deal with.
This is a family matter not a campaign issue. It makes me want to vote for her.

It's commendable that she's decided to keep the child, but it's sad that she's going to be forced to marry someone who might not even right for her and raise a child with him at such a young age. It always astonishes me when people choose not to use protection. I imagine it's hard to get the pill in Alaska when you're the governor's daughter, but to not even use a condom? Hopefully, this will at least get parents talking to their children about unplanned pregnancy and its prevention.

really... it does show that McCain is reckless to pick someone with no consideration for how their personal baggage will affect them... and their ability to work.

Troopergate is really a pretty serious thing... and it is something that Palin could control. It's not some trouble that her kid got into... it's her using her office to "fix" the messy problems of her family life.

Like I said before, I don't care about Palin's pregnant, unmarried teenage daughter EXCEPT that Palin and her party are trying to shove down our throats how to live our lives... that's when it becomes personal.

Palin is a real human with a family and family problems. She is not a washington android that has no background or personality. She has class and strength of character, that doesn't mean she is perfect or has no real life issues to deal with.
This is a family matter not a campaign issue. It makes me want to vote for her.

I agree with Senator Obama, we will leave the children alone - BUT anything and everything about Governor Palin must be released. McCain is a USER - he will use anything, anybody if he thinks people will forget who he really is:
John McCain = Keating Five

John McCain's inadequate vetting process and his lack of judgement for picking a VP that he had met twice, briefly, should give you some insight into how his administration will operate.

Sarah Palin is Dan Quayle with a ponytail (not sure who coined it, but they nailed it) - this pick was not made with the country's best interests in mind but was a rash decision made by a maveric-has-been to win an election.

Only the rightwingers could even try to call shame on Obama when he didn't do anything.

It's like the year 2000 when the DUI record of Dubya was brought up, the media went after the Gore campaign.

Classic backward thinking.

Obama says that families are off limits.

Well, the rightwing would NEVER respect that. Rush called Chelsea a dog when she was a kid, and then showed a picture of a dog on his short-lived TV show, and then lied by saying it was an accident. It was deliberate and he lied about it.

The rightwing has attacked Obama's wife continually, calling her a terrorist.

I'm going to NOT say anything about Palin's family. But as soon as ONE rightwing talk show host says a thing about Obama's wife, kids, mother, grandmother, etc., then all bets are off.

Actually, kos and DU and the other liberal bloggers have been miffed at Obama for not integrating them into his message machine.

This is a rogue move by overzealous bloggers. They weren't totally wrong to think something was up with the Palin family.... I mean... in the end, the bloggers were correct in nothing that something nutty is going on there.

But it is none of their buisiness... and Obama is right to slap them down for it.

Palin should be judged, or rather, assessed by virtue of her own accomplishments and shortcomings. Her daughter should be off-limits to all but the most rabid rabble-rousers. Obama is right in asking the media to back off of Palin's daughter. She has enough on her plate.

It is perfectly fine that Mrs. Palin supports her daughter with her (I supposed unplanned)pregnency. It is good that the smart man who mated her is being asked to get married to her. But what example does it sets to rest of the kids? That your parents will always support you and announce the news with "out beautiful daughter is now going to discover challanges of raising a child.."?

Everyone knows that KOS and DU has members of Obama's campaign staff and is just an extension of his campaign.
I like Obama but I really wish he would quit playing everyone as fools to pretend that the sliming never comes out of his campaign.

Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, visiting Israel several years ago, told Israeli officials diplomacy and sanctions would be futile against Iran." SO WHAT??? As Americans, our main concern is USA, and not Israel, MIND YOU!

If the Palin pick was a self-inflicted knife wound, Obama's magnificent response was the twisting of the knife. Senator Obama is a truly impressive politician, and I mean that in the best sense of the word "politician."

I'm glad Obama is taking the high road on this issue. Nevertheless, this is great news for the dems: on the single most important decision of his campaign, McCain flunked. Not only did he not vet Palin, he barely even met her. It was an entirely political calculation, intended to energize his socially conservative base (Palin is staunchly pro-life even in the case of rape, and she supports a constitutional amendment preventing gay couples from having healthcare benefits); however, conservatives will wonder whether Palin can be a moral leader for America when she cannot even be a moral leader for her own daughter.

Palin has so much drama going on in her personal life not to mention her professional life. She touts herself as a family values candidate while hiding, until today, her teen daughter's pregnancy. Dealing with that trauma and drama is a huge deal for any family. Troopergate is also taxing her time and reputation. Being Governor of Alaska is a huge job, one for which she was hardly prepared to hit the decks running. And now, on top of all that, McCain picks her as the "best qualified" person to run for Vice-President. Still, the press does not think anything untoward of all this. I am disgusted but not surprised by our corporate media's ability to kowtow to the Republican narrative (as usual) on things like this.

Old news no one cares and have not for months. NO SOUP FOR YOU,,,"NEXT"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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HERE COMES THE AMERICA HATERS IN THE MEDIA!!! THE FAR LEFT IS WORRIED ABOUT PALINS REFERENCES WHILE IGNORING TONY RESZCO, REV. WRIGHT, FATHER FLAGER, LOUIS FARAKHAN, AND A TERRORIST BILL AYERS AND HOW ALL OF THESE PEOPLE HATE AMERICA AND LOVE AND ARE FRIENDS WITH OBAMA!

OUR MEDIA HAS HIDDEN ALL REPORTS ABOUT OBAMAS DEALINGS WITH BILL AYERS, A DEVOTED, UNREPENTANT TERRORIST... BUT YET CAN TEAR DOWN PALIN...

WHY ???

WHEN WILL ALL THE MEDIA ASK ANY, HELL JUST 1 QUESTION TO ABAMA ABOUT WRIGHT, AYERS, RESZCO, FLAGER, FARAKHAN ???

First, we find out Sarah Palin and her husband opted to have a baby knowing full well the risks of having a Down Syndrome baby after age 35. Then they parade the child's disability around like a pity cry. I feel so sorry for that child having to be raised by ignorant, exploitive parents. Next, we find out that her daughter has been living in sin and is now pregnant. I suppose there will have to be a maternity wing added to the White House to accomodate all the Palin offspring, illegitimate and otherwise.

The wingers in the crowd are laughable today. We've already hit kitchen-sink depths. That's what you get for picking a VP without any vetting. Kinda reminds me of invading another country without a plan for what to do afterwards.

I'll stay out of her private life, but I'll stay on her ties to Ted Stevens, Pat Buchanan, and the Alaska Independence Party. I'll stay on her lies about the Bridge to Nowhere, and Troopergate, and her firings and earmark requests as mayor of Wasilla. Everything we are learning about Palin's record calls her integrity and judgment into question.

Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, visiting Israel several years ago, told Israeli officials diplomacy and sanctions would be futile against Iran.

On Monday Israel's Army Radio reported details of the comments Biden made when he met with "senior Israeli officials behind closed doors."

Reportedly Biden told the officials he opposed "opening a additional military and diplomatic front" against Iran.

"Israel will have to reconcile itself with the nuclearization of Iran," Army Radio quoted Biden as telling the Israelis.

Army Radio said that at that time Israeli officials were shocked by Biden's comments.

Within Israel, a consensus across the political spectrum has developed on the Iran matter. Iran's president Ahmadinejad has stated that he will wipe Israel off the map, making clear his use weapons of mass destruction against the Jewish state.

Biden has been an ardent supporter of the state of Israel in the Senate. His selection by Barack Obama was seen as an effort to shore up support with the U.S. Jewish community.

Obama has given mixed signals on the Iran threat. During the Democratic primary he argued for direct negotiations with Iran. He has avoided making any suggestion the U.S. should take military action against Iran.

Last Monday Obama said he would continue to use diplomatic means to stop Iran's nuclear program

Some great posts here that Democrates are refusing to talk about. Mgarnett25 and Against Obama posted some factual info and no one FAR LEFT hack has tried to defend Obama. That to me is telling, the Obama folks probably are niot even willing to read posts against Obama and discuss them.

Not one comment on William Ayers and his connection to Obama and the "so called" charity group... THE RECORDS ARE OPEN NOW, let's see what comes out, if any reporter will even LOOK...

Obama's connections to Rev. Wright, for 20 years Obama sits in a church that preaches haterd AGAINST white people and AMERICA. yet, it seems, no one is bothered by that or concerned...

Obama has cleary said HE WILL NOT use America's nuclear weapons under ANY situation, period. So he tell Russia, China and North Korea, along with Iran... Hey, hit us, we will NOT hit you back. And you folks here that support Obama say nothing about these FACTUAL statments by Obama...

NEVER take anyone's word... GOOGLE THE INFO ABOVE and read and learn for yourself.

I hope that the media does some stories on what convinced Palin to accept the nomination. I completely agree with Obama that a candidate's family SHOULD be off limits for the media, but anyone who is in politics knows that they are not. Knowing this, what made Palin decide to subject her family, with a newborn with down-syndrome and an unwed, pregnant, teenage daughter, to the scrutiny of a national campaign? I want to assume the best of the candidates, whether Republican or Democrat, but this makes it look like Palin saw her career as more important than her family. I'm sure she doesn't see it this way, but for the life of me, I can't figure out what she was thinking.

I entirely agree with Obama that one's family intimacies should receive very circumspect treatment from the press and political operatives. But ... DAMN!! I hate the Republicans, Bush and now McCain and this unspeakably horrible VP choice so much that it HURTS -- really HURTS -- to follow his advice. For what these evil people have done, are doing and are planning to do they should be subjected to the most savage, scathing, scarcastic, venomous, unprincipled, gutter-dwelling, barroom-floor, vile, and mean-spirited denuncinations, both personal (where warranted) and political. Their political carcasses should then be hung up like Mussolini and his mistress. The damage they have done to our (and their own) nation is too great to count and the total is still secretly growing. But Obama is right -- don't mess with their families.

HERE COMES THE AMERICA HATERS IN THE MEDIA!!! THE FAR LEFT IS WORRIED ABOUT PALINS REFERENCES WHILE IGNORING TONY RESZCO, REV. WRIGHT, FATHER FLAGER, LOUIS FARAKHAN, AND A TERRORIST BILL AYERS AND HOW ALL OF THESE PEOPLE HATE AMERICA AND LOVE AND ARE FRIENDS WITH OBAMA!

OUR MEDIA HAS HIDDEN ALL REPORTS ABOUT OBAMAS DEALINGS WITH BILL AYERS, A DEVOTED, UNREPENTANT TERRORIST... BUT YET CAN TEAR DOWN PALIN...

WHY ???

WHEN WILL ALL THE MEDIA ASK ANY, HELL JUST 1 QUESTION TO ABAMA ABOUT WRIGHT, AYERS, RESZCO, FLAGER, FARAKHAN ???

I don't believe we need to go after someone's family. I'm sure there is enough political information about Palin that will surface in the next few weeks to show what a lightweight she really is. We've already learned she was a Director of Senator Stevens' 527 group. I'm sure good reporters are spending Labor Day digging in to the rest of her shady political dealings

I don't believe we need to go after someone's family. I'm sure there enough political information about Palin will surface in the next few weeks to show what a lightweight she really is. We've already learned she was a Director of Senator Stevens' 527 group. I'm sure good reporters are spending Labor Day digging in to the rest of her shady political dealings.